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applications and processes. Mexico.

In the UK, the operator deals “The piece small process with the different agencies, also presents challenges logis-

Quick stats from the Department of tically—how to deal with the

OE ’s at-a-glance guide to ofshore hydrocarbon

Energy and Climate Change actual lifting and cutting. It’s

Analysis (DECC) to the Coast Guard. going to be a real opportunity reserves and key ofshore infrastructure globally is for the contractors providing updated monthly using data from leading energy analysts

Gulf of Mexico challenges cutting services and ROVs.” Infeld Systems (www.infeld.com).

The Gulf of Mexico is facing The Gulf of Mexico does some large challenges, how- have the beneft of a strong ever. Operators are beginning reefng program, unlike the

New discoveries Pipelines (operational and 2013 onwards) announced the process of decommission- North Sea or the Pacifc Outer (last

Depth ing larger structures in deeper Continental Shelf. It is likely month) (km) range 2010 2011 2012 2013 waters—jackets typically that the very large jackets due <8in

Shallow 96 106 74 36 (<500m) in excess of 10,000-tonne, to be removed will be reefed,

Operational/ (41,886) 41,918

Deep 28 26 23 11 in water depth greater than says Byrd. installed (500-1500m) 1000ft (312m). Since Louisiana’s artifcial

Ultradeep Planned/ 36 20 34 19 (24,998) 25,292 (>1500m) possible “A number of these facili- reef program began in 1986, 160 152 131 66

Total (66,884) 67,210 ties are getting into pre-feed 71 offshore reefs utilizing the

Note: Operators do not announce discovery dates at the time of discovery, so totals for phase of decommissioning jackets of 320 obsolete plat- 8-16in previous years continue to change.

and in the coming 3-5 years forms have been created off

Operational/ (77,601) 77,695

Reserves in the we will start to see some of Louisiana’s coast. Gulf-wide, installed

Golden Triangle these platforms start to come more than 400 obsolete plat-

Planned/ by water depth 2013-17 (48,127) 48,610 possible out,” says Byrd. “This is going forms have been converted

Water Field Liquid Gas (125,728) 126,305 depth numbers reserves reserves to be a signifcant challenge into permanent artifcial (mmbbl) (bcf) for us.” reefs, according to the state >16in

Brazil

The challenge, he says, is Department of Wildlife and

Operational/ 22 1,721.75980.00

Shallow (89,139) 89,156 installed the methodology used for the Fisheries.

Deep 16 3,257.00 2,255.00

Planned/ removal. “Our bread and but- Many of the same issues are (48,392) 49,698 40 12,428.45 17,340.00

Ultradeep possible ter is single piece jacket and arising in the Pacifc Outer (137,531) 138,854

United States topsides lift,” he says. “These Continental Shelf. Here there 28 128.30 1,226.50

Shallow larger structures will not lend are 28 platforms, all quite

Production 23 1,378.71 1,624.87 themselves to that process.” large. “These will all be a

Deep systems worldwide

The Lena guyed tower, for challenge for us,” says Byrd. 26 2,969.00 3,420.00

Ultradeep (operational and 2013 onwards) example, is 1025ft in length, “In places like California, (last

Floaters

West Africa month) weighing 25,000-tonne. The the barge transportation will (273) 148 3,416.55 18,047.59 273

Shallow Operational

Cognac platform, which was be far more complicated than (50) 46 5,454.00 6,320.00 50

Deep Under development the frst in excess of 1000ft we have to deal with to date, 14 1,900.00 2,650.00 324 (321)

Ultradeep Planned/possible jacket installed, he says, was because there is virtually no (644) 647

Total 363 32,653.76 53,863.96 installed in three pieces. infrastructure. (last month) (362) (32,683.76) (53,843.96) “We simply haven’t really “Creating infrastructure for

Fixed platforms addressed the technology large structure decommission-

Greenfeld reserves (9,688) 8,705

Operational 2013-17 that’s required for decommis- ing is going to be a challenge (138) 125

Under development

Water Field Liquid Gas sioning these structures. everywhere. Even in the Gulf (1,465) 1,475 depth numbers reserves reserves

Planned/possible (mmbbl) (bcf) “One of the things the of Mexico we do not have (11,291) 10,305 1,275 65,189.99 787,740.02

Shallow hurricanes did for us, in 2005, the onshore facilities that (last month) (1,271) (75,101.59) (813,262.02)

Subsea wells is push us in to development are required to support the

Deep 159 13,507.58 79,626.57 (4,385) 4,400

Operational (last month) (161) (13,657.58) (80,626.57) of new and better technology removal of some of the very (410) 414

Under development for heavy lift, and particularly large structures. In California 98 17,516.45 66,727.00

Ultradeep (last month) (98) (17,551.45) (66,747.00) (6,197) 6,220

Planned/possible for lifting large weights off there simply is no infrastruc- (10,992) 11,034 1,532 96,214.02 934,093.59

Total the bottom in water depths ture at all.” of 300-400ft. But that still

Global offshore reserves (mmboe) onstream by water depth

UK doesn’t get us into the type 2011 2012 201320142015 20162017 of lifting technology for these While the US market is well- 5,998.15 10,474.81 49,549.97 27,950.84 39,766.34 34,249.15 53,103.15 1000ft plus jackets. established, the UK’s North

Shallow (last month) (10,467.31) (5,996.47) (65,183.42) (29,947.35) (36,875.97) (34,291.26) (52,732.53) “Piece small removal will Sea Continental Shelf (UKCS)

Deep 1,312.21 2,500.15 3,387.61 5,706.11 4,368.72 4,930.34 9,153.17 very likely be required. But, decommissioning market is (last month) (1,312.21) (1,735.15) (3,387.61) (5,710.92) (4,363.91) (5,106.65) (9,303.17) while you talk here in the still agonizing over when 199.94 737.15 3,243.07 2,922.43 2,109.58 5,519.67 15,543.97

Ultradeep

North Sea about small piece the anticipated bow-wave of (last month) (199.94) (737.15) (3,243.07) (2,922.43) (2,004.29) (5,678.49) (15,528.97) removal as a standard way decommissioning activity will 11,986.97 9,235.44 56,180.65 36,579.38 46,244.64 44,699.16 77,800.30

Total of doing things, it’s actually start. 14 October 2013 quite new for us in the Gulf of There are 297 platforms

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